Briquet-press.



Patented Dec. 26, I899.

J. T. DAVIS.

BRIHUET PRESS.

(Application filed Jan. 31, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

THE NORRIS PETERS 00.. PHOTO-LUNG" wAsnmcaou. ac.

Patented Dec. 26. I899.

J. T. DAVIS.

BRIHUET PRESS.

Application filed Jan. 31, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 U10 Model.)

Wax/Wm.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

' JOHN THOMAS DAVIS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHNTREADXVELL, OF SAME PLACE.

BRlQUET-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,109, dated.December 26, 1899.

Application filed January 31, 1899- Serial No. 704,019. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN THOMAS DAVIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county ofSan Francisco and State ofCalifornia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inBriquet-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machinery for molding and pressing material intoforms and shapes, and as embodied herein has special reference to themanufacture of briquets or eggettes of artificial fuel. The compositionof such a fuel is usually produced by combining low-grade material, suchas culm or coal-dust, with other ingredients which act as a binder,forming a compressible mass.

The object of my invention is to form hard solid shapes from this orother material cheaply and with great rapidity.

I have embodied my invention in a mechanical structure, which I shallnow proceed to describe and which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan View withparts in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is asection of the rim of the rotary wheel, showing the position of thepressing-plungers when discharging a briquet. Fig. 5 is a section of thewheel-rim at the point of feed. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of theplungers.

The material is fed from a hopper A to the grooved periphery of a rotarywheel B. This wheel carries a large number of oppositelymovablecompressing plungers or pistons C C, of which one concentric row orseries is shown in the drawings, but which can be arranged in two ormore concentric series in order to increase the capacity of the machine.

The wheel B is mounted on a shaft D, journaled in a supporting-frame E.It derives its rotation by being geared down from a shaft F, having apinion F which engages with a spur-gear B on the periphery of wheel B.Fig. 2 best shows the construction of the wheel in its relation to thecompressing-plungers. It must be wide enough to receive the gear B andthe feed and pressing recesses and also to provide bearings of suitablelength for the sliding plungers. Hence it is preferably provided with along hub, giving it steadiness in rotation, and with the two series ofspokes 13 3 to insure the necessary strength.

In the solid periphery of the wheel B and extending inwardly andparallel with the axis are formed holes or guides for the slidingplungers C C, provided with heads 1. The middle'part of the rim isformed with an open feed-groove 2, the bottom of which is the solid partof the rim. Into this groove on one side open the guide-passages for theseries of plungers 0. Parallel with the feed-groove is an opendischarging-groove 16. In the flange 1), formed between the two groovesand communicating with both, is a series of molds 3 in line with therespective plungers. These molds are parts of the lateral passagesformed in the solid metal of the rim and are approached and closed bythe oppositely-movable plungers in the act of compression. The openfeed-groove 2 is covered by a flanged guardplate 4, which is continuousaround the wheel excepting beneath the feed-hopper A. Thus thefeed-groove is kept continuously supplied with the material as itrevolves beneath the open hopper, the guard 4 retaining the material inplace. The plungers C work against the mass of material, pushing therequired quantity into the molds, and hence no accurate regulation ofthe feed is necessary, the plungers simply pushing the required amountof material automatically into the molds against the plungers C. Thefeed-groove being constantly supplied there is always a mass of thematerial for the successive plungers to work upon. It will be understoodthat the material compressed by this machine is ordinarily composed of alow-grade base mixed with a binding composition and is in pulverizedform, which feeds readily into the groove and molds, but which is ofsuch character that under heavy pressure it assumes and retains anysolid form and shape given to it. In the present machine the plungersare shown as cup-shaped, producing a briquet of the form shown in Fig. 4at X.

The oppositely-moving plungers in this machine perform three separatefunctions or operations to complete the formation of a briquet. In thefirst place those on one side are caused to push the proper portion ofmaterial frcm the feed-groove into the molds and to hold it there, bothplungers keeping the open ends of such molds closed. In the second placethey are caused to compress the m aterial in such molds, and in thethird place one of them is retracted While the other is pushed fartherinwardly to discharge the pressed briquet through the open space 16. Thefirst and last of these operations are caused by stationary cam-sectionsplaced adjacent to the rim of, the wheel and which bear against theheads of the plungers. The compression is produced by oppositelyplacedrollers, between which the plungers are successively forced. While thehopper is delivering material to the feed-groove both plungers arewithdrawn and are in the position shown in Fig. 5. For the sake ofclearness I follow the operation of a single pair of plungers through arevolution of the wheel, the same operation being successive with theother pairs of the series. When the plungers arrive at the feedingpoint,they are in the posit-ion shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The feed-groove isentirely open. The plunger 0' is closing the mold 3. The plunger 0 is atthe opening into the feedgroove. The material fills the groove andenters the molds. On each side of the wheel B is supported a hollow drumor frame I-I, each of which carries cam-sections shaped so as to compelthe proper movements of the plungers by bearing upon or behind theirheads. From the position of Figs. 2 and 5 to the position of Fig. 3(where the pressing is done) the plunger 0 remains stationary, asindicated by the straight line as in Fig. 2. The plunger C also remainsstationary, as indicated by the straight line 'y, at the end of which ithas passed beneath the hopper. At the same point the cam-section I bearsupon its head and for a quarter-revolution forces it gradually inwardlyacross the feed-groove, pushing such material as lies in its path intothe mold and against the plunger 0. Such material is then held betweenthe two plungers and under a certain amount of compression. At thequarter-revolution the briquet is finally formed by an increase inpressure produced by a pair of rollers J J, between which the plungersare forced to pass. The construction of these rollers is fully shown inFigs. 2 and 3. Each rolleris journaled in boxes 10 in standards K,hinged to a baseplate K, the opposite standards being tied by rods 11and 12 and held by nuts 13. Strong pressure-springs 14. upon the upperrods are supplied to permit the standards to yield on their hinges toany abnormal pressure, such as might be caused by the presence of a lumpof hard substance in the pulverized material. The amount of pressureproduced by the passage of the pistons between these rollers dependsupon the character and consistency of the material. The amount ofpressure can, however, be regulated as desired by slight adjustment ofthe wheel-standards on the rod 12. The rollers cause both plungers topenetrate slightly into the molds, compressing the material into thefinal shape of a briquet. The shape shown is a narrow cylinder (formedby the cylindrical wall of the mold) with rounded ends, (formed by thecup shape of the plungers, as shown in Fig. 4.) Each plunger has anoil-duct 15 to supply lubricant to the pressing-surface. Con tinuin gtheir revolution and passing from between the rollers a cam L commencesto push the Plunger 0 still farther into the mold, while at the sametime a cam M commences to retract the plunger O by bearing behind itshead. These motions continue until the plungers have a'rrived at thebottom of the wheel, at which time the briquet has been pushed entirelyout of the mold and falls through the open space 16 in the rim, Fig. 4.The plunger 0 has been retracted far enough to entirely clear thisspace. Both plungers then remain stationary until they approach to orabout the three-fourths revolution, when a cam N pushes the plunger Ginwardly to close the mold,- Fig. 5, while a cam O pulls the plunger Ooutwardly to the edge of the feed-groove. The plungers then pass beneaththe hopper, and the described revolution is repeated.

I have described herein and illustrated in the drawings a practicalembodiment of my invention, which nevertheless is not the onlyembodiment of which such invention is capable, since it is evident thatmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from its principle. I do not therefore limit myself to theconstruction shown and described, as I desire to avail myself of allmodifications and equivalents that fall properly within the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a briquet-press, a rotary wheel having a rim provided with acontinuous groove, a series of molds opening from said groove, andoppositely acting plungers movable transversely in said rim.

2. In a briquet-press, a rotary wheel having a continuous grooveinitsrim, and oppositelyacting plungers movable transversely in said rim, incombination with a feed-hopper opening into said groove and adapted todischarge material which is massed in said groove, and a guard-plateextending around the wheel from one end of the hopper to the other forclosing said groove.

3. In a briquet-press, a rotary wheel having a feed-groove in its rim,and molds communi eating with said feed-groove, in combination with aplunger having a bearing in said rim, and adapted to travel across thesaid feed groove, and in conjunction with a second plunger to compressmaterial in said molds.

4. In a briquet-press, a rotary wheel having a peripheral feed-grooveand a series of molds opening into it, of transversely movable plungers,and stationary cams for controlling the movements of said plungers.

ICC

5. In a briquet-press, a rotary wheel having a peripheral feedgroove andtransverselysliding plungers, of rollers situated in the path of saidplungers for forcing said plungers simultaneously toward each other andthus compressing the material, and springs for holding said rollers inoperative position.

6. In a briquet-press, a rotary wheel having a peripheral feed-grooveand pressing-plungers, in combination with pressure rollers adapted toact upon said plungers, and cams arranged relatively to said plungersfor retracting one of said plungers and advancing the other, so as todischarge the completed briquet.

7. In a briqnet-press, a rotary wheel having concentric series ofplungers, arranged in oppositely placed pairs and movable transverselyin the wheel, in combination with a pair of'pressure-rollers, and ayielding support for each roller, so arranged that said rollers shallstand in the path of said pairs of plungers and force them inwardly.

8. In a briquet-press, a rotary wheel having a concentric series ofplungers, in combination with standards hinged at their bases, andcarrying pressure-rollers, said rollers being arranged relatively tosaid plungers so that the heads of the plungers pass between and areoperated by the said rollers.

9. In a briquet-press,a rotary wheel having a solid rim, an openfeed-groove formed in said rim, a series of holes or passages extendingthrough said rim from side to side and an open discharge groove orrecess; in combination with oppositely-moving plungers, and

means for operating them, whereby they are caused to isolate portions ofthe material delivered to the feed-groove into a part of said passage,to hold such material there, to compress said material into a briquet,and finally vto discharge the briquet through the said opendischarge-groove.

10. In a briquet-press, and in combination with a rotary wheel and aconcentric series of plungers working therein a pair of pressurewheels,a pair of hinged standards in which said wheels are journaled, andsprings for permitting said standards to yield upon their hinges.

11. In a briquet-press, a rotary wheel having a solid rim provided withparallel feed and discharge grooves, molds located in the flange betweensaid grooves, transverse guide-passages in the rim of the wheel on bothsides of and in line with said molds, plungers fitted to slide in saidguide-passages, and means for operating said plungers.

12. In a briquet-press, a rotary wheel, oppositely-movable plungers inthe rim thereof, a pair of rollers set in the path of said plungers forforcing them simultaneously toward each other, springs acting upon saidrollers, and means for regulating the pressure of said springs.

In testimony whereof I have aifixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses, this 14th day of January, 1899.

JOHN THOMAS DAVIS.

Witnesses:

L. W. SEELY, JOHN TREADWELL.

